According to the McKinsey Global Fashion Index, there is an estimated $2.4 trillion in revenues generated for apparel, accessories, and luxury goods worldwide in 2022, but the industry's potential to positively impact society and the environment is just as significant. UN Studies suggest that the fashion industry is responsible for 8 to 10% of global carbon emissions.
LPP is the fastest-growing fashion company in Poland, pursuing the principle of sustainability in every aspect of its business, from selecting material suppliers to packaging and logistics methods. It firmly believes that as a corporation, taking the responsibility for having a positive influence on the general public is its obligation, and as a pioneer in the fashion industry, reshaping and navigating the industry into a sustainable future is its calling.
“It is important for the fashion industry to move towards sustainable development. The choices that the fashion industry makes have a huge impact on choices made by our customers and also by our suppliers,” says Aleksandra Pawelec, Senior Sustainable Development Specialist at LPP.
LPP was established in the 90s and has been growing rapidly throughout these years. Now it has 5 brands and over 1800 stores across nearly 40 countries on 3 continents.
In 2019, LPP counted its carbon footprint in the entire value chain for the first time, taking into account the process of producing or growing raw materials, the production of clothes, transport or emission at the stage of sale, as well as the phase of using products by customers etc. Three years later Polish producer set targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, which are to be verified according to the Science Based Targets methodology - an initiative supporting the private sector in its efforts to combat global warming. The goal is to achieve climate neutrality by 2050.
Another important element on the road to sustainable development is the Eco Aware collection, which is based on 2 pillars - more environmentally friendly materials and production that reduces the consumption of resources, including energy and water. Ms. Pawelec elaborates, “if more and more collections will contain more sustainable materials, our customers will have the vital choices and better access to those kinds of products, and they will also be very well educated why those kinds of products are actually better choices.”
Now, across LPP’s over 1800 stores, its fashion designs are made from sustainable materials, such as organic cotton, biodegradable cellulosic fibres and recycled materials from plastic bottles. What’s more, it encourages its fabric suppliers to rely on renewable energy more during their production and closed water circuit.
LPP values its capability of having a positive influence on society and the world at large. It formed well-established partnerships with various organisations, one of them being participating in The International Accord for Health and Safety in the Textile and Garment Industry, which advances workplace safety and addresses the prevalence of seriously harmful factory accidents in the textile and garment industry in Bangladesh. Furthermore, LPP engages in a new initiative namely Cotton made in Africa, aiming to aid African farmers via trade rather than donations, improving their living and working conditions and protecting the environment.
In the future coming, LPP will continuously expand its more sustainable collection and hold the ethos of reshaping the fashion industry, Ewa Janczukowicz-Cichosz, Sustainability Expert at LPP says, “we have a lot of potentials to implement some innovation in this field. We want to see the change when we are more circular and that's what we want to do when we think about our future.”
